I only have experience (very little at that!) with regressed bees. I put them straigt to foundationless frames this year with fine results. The brood combs were in decent shape. Honeycomb needed some work. If they make it through the winter I'm back to not having any spare comb. Anyway I have two treatment free nucs coming next year they are on homemade foundation. I would like to regress them and then go foundationless.

I'm reading about HSC and the PF series. Anyone have any thoughts about using one over the other? I read something interesting about using a follower board to control how much they draw on plastic so you can drop foundationless in sooner. Thoughts?

09-12-2012, 05:39 PM

Beregondo

Re: Regressing new nucs

I just use mann lake Pf or Dadant small cell foundation (bottom of pg 58 in 2012 Dadant catalog).
I haven't had trouble yet with bees not drawing it correctly.

i thin k some have trouble with regression, but that that is the exception rather than the rule.

I believe that the problem is largely inflated, and I don't worry about it.
And the result, as I said, is that I have had no problems going straight to 4.9 mm foundation.

YMMV. You are not where I am, and your bees are not the same lines as mine.
But I bet if you try it, you won't have an issue.

09-13-2012, 09:52 AM

BeeCurious

Re: Regressing new nucs

I would avoid the HSC unless the U.S. manufacturer has made some changes. Be prepared to melt the plastic fuzz off of the cell edges.